Jan. 20, 2021 Major Project Milestone: New Nave Floor Goes In! A huge week on the Project: the new dark-stained, riff-cut white oak is installed in the nave. Among the most challenging of assignments for the Sanctuary Project team was the type of flooring to re-install in the nave and chancel that would replicate the appearance of our previous floor. We all lovingly admired our old Douglas fir nave floorboards, which were likely put in during the 1930s following renovation after the big 1925 earthquake. As much as we tried, we were unable to save our old dry, brittle floor planks as they were nailed to the subfloor in such a way that they literally shattered when we took them up. Thus began an arduous, two-year task of coming up with the right approach that would balance numerous factors; most importantly was the need to replace the look and feel of our historic sacred space. We also considered cost, maintenance, practicality, modern floor construction, availability of materials, etc. For example, the downside of Douglas fir is that it is a soft wood, prone to scarring, particularly from high heel shoes. For many, many reasons we settled on "riff cut" white oak for both the nave and chancel, with its straight, tight grain -- similar in nature to both of our previous floors -- and which takes stain very uniformly. We spent weeks studying photos of our previous interior with different lighting and finally chose stain tones that we feel fully match our old chancel and nave. Furthermore, we decided on an installation that calls for the wood flooring to be mounted on cross-laid plywood to ensure it will not cup or warp, especially in our moist climate. The flooring was factory finished to assure a uniform protective coat and which can be refinished multiple times ... down the road, of course! You can see the new nave floor as well as the initial installation of our stained glass just above the main church entrance. Once installed, the new floor is covered with protective material, which can be seen to the right of the installation crew.

Click Here to See More Photos of Our New Floor Below is the pulpit in place with new flooring going in around it.

Precious Stained Glass Reinstallation Begins

Our stained glass windows have been lovingly refurbished and are ready to be carefully reinstalled.

The team from Judson Studios spent two days last week beginning the reinstallation of our stained glass windows. For more than a century, this world-renowned, Pasadena-based firm has designed and built stained glass for churches and business across the globe. They constructed the vast majority of All Saints' historic stained glass and were our obvious choice to remove, renovate, store and reinstall our treasures. They were able to install the stained glass in locations that were safe from work crews. They will return to install the remaining works once construction is complete. Click Here To See More Photos of the Stained Glass Installation

Windows, Basement, Lift ... Oh My!

Believe it or not, some parts of our old structure did not get replaced. Shown here is one of our old double-hung windows located on the south wall of the Sanctuary receiving sanding and painting.

It's a bit hard to see, but find the black steel frame behind the reredos. This "moment frame," which is attached to an all new steel support system inside the Sanctuary, will keep our church safe when a large earthquake strikes.

We could barely find enough room in the reconstructed basement to get in for a few photos. It's packed with our new heating/air conditioning system and ducts. You'll appreciate this sophisticated system on cold mornings and hot afternoons.

Shown above is the framing of our new accessibility lift located to the south of the newly built chancel. It will enable anyone to comfortably access the altar area. The final installation is waiting until Southern California Edison can bring in permanent power, scheduled for later this week. Below, our electrical subcontractor prepares the panel for power.

Our doors get some TLC in the photo above, while new doors get stained by our subs.